• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.163-173
• /
• 2024

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) have a proven strength enhancement capability when installed into Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams. The brittle failure of traditional FRP strengthening systems has attracted researchers to develop novel materials with improved strength and ductility properties. One such material is that known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This study presents a numerical investigation of the flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams externally strengthened with PET-FRP systems. This material is distinguished by its large rupture strain, leading to an improvement in the ductility of the strengthened structural members compared to conventional FRPs. A three-dimensional (3-D) finite element (FE) model is developed in this study to predict the load-deflection response of a series of experimentally tested beams published in the literature. The numerical model incorporates constitutive material laws and bond-slip behavior between concrete and the strengthening system. Moreover, the validated model was applied in a parametric study to inspect the effect of concrete compressive strength, PET-FRP sheet length, and reinforcing steel bar diameter on the overall performance of concrete beams externally strengthened with PET-FRP.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.163-170
• /
• 2023

Since spent nuclear fuel assemblies (SFA) are transported to interim storage or final disposal facility after cooling the decay heat, finite element analysis (FEA) with simplification is widely used to show their integrity against cladding failure to cause dispersal of radioactive material. However, there is a lack of research addressing the comprehensive impact of shape and element simplification on analysis results. In this study, for the optimization of a typical pressurized water reactor SFA, different types of finite element models were generated by changing number of fuel rods, fuel rod element type and assembly length. A series of FEA in use of these different models were conducted under a shock load data obtained from surrogate fuel assembly transportation test. Effects of number of fuel rods, element type and length of assembly were also analyzed, which shows that the element type of fuel rod mainly affected on cladding strain. Finally, an optimal finite element model was determined for other practical application in the future.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.45-56
• /
• 2024

The weakening effect of water on rocks is one of the main factors inducing deformation and failure in rock engineering. To clarify this weakening effect, immersion tests and post-immersion triaxial compression tests were conducted on sandstone and mudstone. The results showed that the strength of water-immersed sandstone decreases with increasing immersion time, exhibiting an exponential relationship. Similarly, the strength of water-immersed mudstone decreases with increasing environmental humidity, also following an exponential relationship. Subsequently, a statistical damage model for water-weakened rocks was proposed, changes in elastic modulus to describe the weakening effect of water. The model effectively simulated the stress-strain relationships of water-affected sandstone and mudstone under compression. The R² values between the theoretical and experimental peak values ranged from 0.962 to 0.996, and the MAPE values fell between 3.589% and 9.166%, demonstrating the model's effectiveness and reliability. The damage process of water-saturated rocks corresponds to five stages: compaction stage - no damage, elastic stage - minor damage, crack development stage - rapid damage increase, post-peak residual stage - continuous damage increase, and sliding stage - damage completion. This study provides a foundational reference for researching the fracture characteristics of overlying strata during coal mining under complex hydrogeological conditions.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.223-231
• /
• 2024

For the OPR1000, a standard power plant in Korea, an analytical model of the containment building considering voids and deterioration was built with multilayer shell elements. Voids were placed in the vulnerable parts of the analysis model, and the deterioration effects of concrete and rebar were reflected in the material model. To check the impact of voids and deterioration on the seismic performance of the containment building, iterative push-over analysis was performed on four cases of the analytical model with and without voids and deterioration. It was found that the effect of voids with a volume ratio of 0.6% on the seismic performance of the containment building was insignificant. The effect of strength reduction and cross-sectional area loss of reinforcement due to deterioration and the impact of strength increase of concrete due to long-term hardening offset each other, resulting in a slight increase in the lateral resistance of the containment building. To determine the limit state that adequately represents the seismic performance of the containment building considering voids and deterioration, the Ogaki shear strength equation, ASCE 43-05 low shear wall allowable lateral displacement ratio, and JEAC 4601 shear strain limit were compared and examined with the analytically derived failure point (ultimate point) in this study.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.91 no.3
• /
• pp.251-262
• /
• 2024

Numerical modeling using the finite element method (FEM) offers crucial insights into the mechanical behavior of prostheses, including stress and strain distribution, load transfer, and stress intensity factors. Analyzing cracking in PMMA surgical cement (polymethylmethacrylate) for total hip prostheses (THP) is essential for understanding the loosening phenomenon, as the rupture of orthopedic cement is a primary cause. By understanding various failure mechanisms, significant advancements in cemented total prostheses can be achieved. This study performed a numerical analysis using a 3D FEM model to evaluate stress levels in different THP models, aiming to model damage in the orthopedic cement used in total hip arthroplasty. Utilizing ABAQUS software, FEM, and XFEM, the damage in three types of THPs-Charnley (CMK3), Osteal (BM3), and THOMPSON was modeled under stumbling loading conditions. XFEM allowed for the consideration of crack propagation between the cement and bone, while the GEARING criterion employed a user-defined field subroutine to model damage parameters. The study's findings can contribute to improving implant fixation techniques and preventing postoperative complications in orthopedic surgery.

• Hip & pelvis
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.161-167
• /
• 2024

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is regarded as a critical factor contributing to the failure of primary and revision total joint arthroplasty (TJA). With the increasing prevalence of TJA, a significant increase in the incidence of PJI is expected. The escalating number of cases, along with the significant economic strain imposed on healthcare systems, place emphasis on the pressing need for development of effective strategies for prevention. PJI not only affects patient outcomes but also increases mortality rates, thus its prevention is a matter of vital importance. The longer-term survival rates for PJI after total hip and knee arthroplasty correspond with or are lower than those for prevalent cancers in older adults while exceeding those for other types of cancers. Because of the multifaceted nature of infection risk, a collaborative effort among healthcare professionals is essential to implementing diverse strategies for prevention. Rigorous validation of the efficacy of emerging novel preventive techniques will be required. The combined application of these strategies can minimize the risk of infection, thus their comprehensive adoption is important. Collectively, the risk of PJI could be substantially minimized by application of a multifaceted approach implementing these strategies, leading to improvement of patient outcomes and a reduced economic burden.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.61-69
• /
• 2024

With increasing interest in aviation leisure sports, the demand for ultralight aircraft has increased, highlighting the necessity for robust structural design of the aircraft. In response, this study conducted static structural analysis and free-fall analysis of fuselage frame of ultralight aircraft. Robust design and crashworthiness under operational load conditions and vertical impact scenarios were evaluated by assessing maximum stress and safety factors. Analyses were performed using finite element method-based software ANSYS Workbench. Results including stress distribution and strain were analyzed to verify the safety of the designed fuselage frame. Additionally, this study predicted excessive deformation and failure locations of the fuselage frame during vertical drop impacts.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.337-348
• /
• 2005

Jurassic granite from Pocheon area were tested to investigate the effect of microcracks on mechanical properties of the granite. Three oriented core specimens were used for uniaxial compressive tests and each core specimen are perpendicular to the axes'R'(rift plane),'c'(grain plane) and'H'(hardway plane), respectively Among vacious elastic constants, the variation of Poisson's ratio as function of the directions was examined. From the related chart between ratio of failure strength and Poisson's ratio, H-specimen shows the highest range in Poisson's ratio and Poisson's ratio decreases in the order of C-specimen and R-specimen. The curve pattern is nearly linear in stage $I\simIII$ but the slope increases abruptly in stage H-3. As shown in the related chart, diverging point of a curve is formed when ratio of failure strength is $0.92\sim0.96$ Stage IV -3 is out of elastic region. The behaviour of rock in the four fracturing stages was analyzed in term of the stress-volumetric strain me. From the stress increment-volumetric strain equations governing the behaviour of rock, characteristic material constants, a, n, Q, m and $\varepsilon_v^{mcf}$, were determined. Among these, inherent microcrack porosity$(a, 10^{-3})$ and compaction exponent(n) in the microcrack closure region(stage I ) show an order of $a^R(3.82)>a^G(3.38)>a^H(2.32)\;and\;n^R(3.69)>n^G(2.79)>n^H(1.99)4, respectively. Especially, critical volumetric microcrack strain($\varepsilon_v^{mcf}$) in the stage W is highest in the H-specimen, normal to the hardway plane. These results indicate a strong correlation between two major sets of microcracks and mechanical properties such as Poisson's ratio and material constants. Correlation of strength anisotropy with microcrack orientation can have important application in rock fracture studies.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.153-166
• /
• 1991

In an attempt to investigate the effect of intermedate principal stresses which are related to the stress-strain behavior of standard sands, a series of three-Principal stress control tests were conducted for individual stress paths. The results have shown that shear strengths of sands vary with the stress paths. The variations in internal friction angle are accorded with the Habibs stress parameter, b which represents Stress paths, showing on abropt increase at the values between 0.0 and 0.268, a moderate level between 0.268 and 0.682, and a slight decrease between 0.682 and 1.0 However, the friction angles under a triaxial extention state, were found relatively larger than under a triaxial compression state. In general, such veriations were found to have the same tendency without any relevant relation with the density of specimens and confining pressures. Therefore, it is concluded, that the shear strength of sands are positively influeced by the intermediate principal stresses present in the media. And the influnce of intermediate principal stresses on shear strengths of sands found from the present study are well compared with the previous studies by Lade-Duncan and Matsuoka-Nakai revealing a similar tendency within the failure criteria proposed by them.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.433-445
• /
• 2020

The weakening and softening behavior of soft clay subjected to cyclic loading due to the build-up of excess pore water pressure is well-known. During the design stage of the foundation of highways and coastal high-rise buildings, it is important to study the mechanical behavior of marine soils under cyclic loading as they undergo greater settlement during cyclic loading than under static loading. Therefore, this research evaluates the cyclic stress-strain and shear strength of untreated and treated marine clay under the effects of wind, earthquake, and traffic loadings. A series of laboratory stress-controlled cyclic triaxial tests have been conducted on both untreated and treated marine clay using different effective confining pressures and a frequency of 0.5 and 1.0 Hz. In addition, treated samples were cured for 28 and 90 days and tested under a frequency of 2.0 Hz. The results revealed significant differences in the performance of treated marine clay samples than that of untreated samples under cyclic loading. The treated marine clay samples were able to stand up to 2000 loading cycles before failure, while untreated marine clay samples could not stand few loading cycles. The untreated marine clay displayed a higher permanent axial strain rate under cyclic loading than the treated clay due to the existence of new cementing compounds after the treatment with recycled tiles and low amount (2%) of cement. The effect of the effective confining pressure was found to be significant on untreated marine clay while its effect was not crucial for the treated samples cured for 90 days. Treated samples cured for 90 days performed better under cyclic loading than the ones cured for 28 days and this is due to the higher amount of cementitious compounds formed with time. The highest deformation was found at 0.5 Hz, which cannot be considered as a critical frequency since smaller frequencies were not used. Therefore, it is recommended to consider testing the treated marine clay using smaller frequencies than 0.5 Hz.